UMBC Gender and Women's Studies Students Write Back

Hollywood’s Thin, New Jennifer Hudson

After reading this article in Huffington Post and seeing many, many commercials with a svelte, toned Jennifer Hudson, I wondered how she managed to lose so much weight. Weight Watchers and exercise helped Hudson loose a huge eighty pounds in a healthy manner. The formerly “larger than life” singer and actress is now a glowing size zero. Hollywood could not be happier.

Plus sized women in Hollywood are not easy to come by, especially when these women are black. Hollywood’s black female superstars are sexy like Halle Berry or extremely curvaceous like Beyonce. Where does a plus sized black woman like Jennifer Hudson fit in? Does out singing Beyonce in Dreamgirls mean nothing?

In my opinion, Jennifer Hudson had not been portrayed as other black women before she dropped eighty pounds. Yes, she was talented and award winning, but not beautiful. Her beauty has only come from her weight loss. Now, we can marvel over her thin waist and curvy hips along with her amazing singing voice.

But, which is better? Should a black female celebrity have to choose between being famous for her talent or her body? Of course, some celebrities like Beyonce have both covered while others like Nicki Minaj are lacking. What does this mean for little black girls? Can they feel comfortable in their bodies and accept not being beautiful but talented instead? Or do their bodies have to be the cause of their beauty? Should they have to choose? I do not know the answers to these questions, although I have some ideas. The good news is that Jennifer Hudson’s voice is still big and beautiful!

3 Responses

I thought Jennifer Hudson looked fabulous before she lost weight, but with her brilliant voice, gorgeous skin and infectious energy it almost didn’t matter what her body looked like!

But of course as you point out, it did matter. Women are rarely exempt from physical scrutiny and well-known women of color even less so. I felt sad when Jennifer lost weight and became a spokesperson for Weight Watchers. It was so refreshing to see her talent on a strong, healthy, big body! It’s frustrating that despite her gifts she jumped on the weight-loss bandwagon. Like you say, can Black girls watching her help but internalize the message?

So many celebrities have undergone this transformation, for example, Carrie Underwood. After she won American Idol, she shed pounds at a tremendous speed. I believed she was beautiful before she lost weight. My friends and I were talking about Lindsay Lohan this weekend and how before she dyed her hair and became dependent on drugs had a very natural beauty. It’s disappointing to see how negative the entertainment industry can effecting people.